Starting device for automobiles.



E. H. MILLER.

START-ING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7,'1913.

Patented Oct.29,1918.

un no,

FREDERICK H. MILLER, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENN-SYLVANIA.

STARTING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of tetters Patent.

Application led February 7, 1913. Serial No. 746,318.

. To all witom t may concern:

Be it known that l, FREDERICK H. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of VVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in StartingDevices for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to starting devices for automobiles and ithasparticular reference to an electrically controlled interlock forstarting motors.

My invention has for one of its objects to provide mechanism forprotecting the gears or' a starting motor by preventing the connectionof the motor to the engine shaft of an automobile, or motor vehicle,when the engine shaft is rotating above a predeter` mined speed.

My intention has for a further object to provide a mechanism whichautomatically disconnects the starting motor from the engine shaft afterthe engine has reached a predetermined speed.

ln the use of starting motors for gas engines, it is customary inpractice to connect the motor to the flywheel of the engine by means ofreductio gear mechanism, the connection being ma 'e and broken by theoperator before andafter starting, respectively. lf the gears should beplaced in mesh while the engine is running and the iiywheel is rotatingat a high speed, the gears will probably be damaged as a result. It isessential, therefore that a safety device be used in connection with amechanism of this character to prevent the accidental or inadvertentmeshing of the gears when the engine is in operation.

ln accordance with my invention, l propose to employ an electricallycontrolled mechanism for rendering the starting pedal or starting shaftineffective to mesh the connecting gears when the engine is operatingunder its own power.

Owing to the relatively high speed ratio usually employed between thestartin motor and the engine shaft, it is essentia that the motor bedisconnected before the engine reaches its running speed, as the speedof the motor may become excessive when driven by the engine. This resultis accomplished by the same electrically controlled mechanism abovereferred to, which automatically breaks the connection between thestarting pedal and gear connections at a predetermined speed. f

My invention is described in detail in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in whichthe single figure is a view partially in elevation andpartially in section, of a portion of an automobile with my inventionattached thereto, the electrical connections being shown-diagrammatically The automobile is provided with the usual gas engine,a portion of which is shown at 1, an engine shaft 2, upon which ismounted the flywheel 3 having a gear 4. The dashboard of the vehicle isindicated at 5, the floor at 6, and a frame member and foot board by 7and 8, respectively. A starting motor 9, which is here shown as a dynamoelectric machine, is attached to the crank case of the engine by abracket 10 and is provided with a shaft 11 u )on which is slidably keyeda pinion 12- liaving an integral grooved collar 13. The pinion 12 isactuated to slide on the'shaft 11 by a `yoke member 52 which engages thecollar 13 and which is lixed to a hollow shaft 14. rll`he shaft 14 isslidably mounted in a bracket 15 and is adapted to be reciprocated by arod 16 that is sldably mounted in the hollow shaft 14 and is pivotallyconnected at 17 to a foot pedal 18 having a pivotal support at 19 in alug 2O on the automobile frame 7 and eX- tending through a suitableopening in the foot board 8. Rigidly connected tothe hollow shaft 14, isan electro-magnet 21 having a winding 22 and a movable core 23 which isadapted, when the winding is energized, to project a locking pin 24through an opening 25 in the hollow shaft 14 into the path of the rod16. A spring 26, attached to an adjustable thumb screw 27, normallyholds the core 23 in its retracted position.

In circuit with the magnet winding and mounted on the engine shaft, is acentrifugal switch 28 comprislng a hollow casing composed of two cupshaped members 29 and 30 which inclose a quantity of mercury' indicatedat 31. A. cup shaped member 32 has an annular periphery 33 which dipsinto the mercury when the switch is stationary or rotating at less thana predetermined speed, and 1s connected to a second cup shaped member orslip ring 34, both members 32 and 34 being insulated from the hollowcasing. A. brush 35 resses upon the annular' surface 36 of the shp ring34 to form one terminal against the of the switch. The other side of theswitch is grounded through the shaft. When the engine operates-under itsown power, the speed is sufficient to cause the mercury to extend aroundthe inner periphery of the casing and out of contact with the member 32.The speed at which the connection is broken may be fixed at any desiredlimit by adjusting the quantity of mercury' or by changing the relativesize of the parts.

A starting switch 37, comprising stationary contact members 38, 39 and40, 1s mounted upon a bracket 41 that is attached to the dash-board 5.The movable contact members 42, 43 and 44 of the switch are mounted uponthe rod 16. The contact members 38 and 42 control the circuit of thecentrifugal switch and the magnet, while the members 39 and 43, 40 and44, respectively, control circuits for operating the motor. In operatingthe starting switch, as by pressing the starting pedal, the members 38and 42 first make contact to close the magnet circuit and,

owing to the length of Contact clips 38, this contact is mounted throughthe reciprocation of the rod 16 to mesh the gears. As the rod 16 isreciprocated further, the member 43 engages the members 39 to close thecircuit through the motor, but this circuit is broken by the continuedmovement ofthe rod 16 and a second circuit through the motor is thencompleted by the contact members 44 and 40.

n The operation of the starting mechanism is as folldws: When theoperator desires to start the engine, the pedal 18 is pressed forward toeffect engagement of the Contact members 38 and 42 for closing anelectrical circuit, from a terminal 45 connected to the contact clips42, to the engine shaft, through the casing members 29 and 30, mercury31, contact member 32, slip ring 34, brush 35, magnet winding 22,battery 46 and contact member`42. The effect of closing the abovecircuit is to energize the magnet winding 22 which then projects thelocking pin 24 into the hollow shaft 14 in position to be engaged by therod 16J As the rod 16 is pressed further, the contact members 39 and 43are engaged and a circuit is closed from a terminal 47 connected to thecontact members 39, through a resistor 48, battery 46, motor 9, tocontact member 43. On account of the comparatively high resistance ofthe circuit, the motor is caused to rotate slowly. By reason oftheengagement of the rod 16 with the projection 24, the hollow shaft 14 isactuated forwardly tension of a spring 49 to mesh the pinion 12 with theflywheel gear 4. Before the pinion 12 engages the gear 4, the contactmember 43 has broken the motor crcuit and the motor is rotating only byinertia. 'lhe slow rotation of the motor pin,-

Vion 12 insuresr perfect meshing of the gear ion movably mounted andopera ive Lasagna teeth while the teeth do not bind during this action,since there is no torque applied to the motor. hen the pinion reachesits operas tive position, the contact member 44 has completed therunning circuit of the motor, which is through the contact member 40,terminal 50, battery 46, and motor 9 back to the contact member 44.

The motor now rotates the engine shaft to start the engine. When thelatter operates under its own power, the speed is sucient to break thecontact between the mercury and the contact member 32 of the centrifugalswitch 28, thus breaking the magnet circuit. The magnet winding is,denergized and the spring 26 retracts the core 23 and withdraws thelocking pin 24 out of engagement with the rod 16. The spring 49 at onceretracts the hollow shaft 14 and disengages the pinion 12 from theflywheel 4. rlfhis action takes place regardless of the release of thestarting pedal by the operator, the rod 16 being telescoped by thehollow shaft 14. The pedal 18 will be returned to its norn mal positionby a spring 51 upon the re- 4moval of the pressure of the operatorsfoot.

The motor pinion 12 cannot be engaged with the flywheel gear when theengine is running because the magnet circuit is broken by thecentrifugal switch and the rod 16 is ineffective to operate the hollowshaft 14 unless the locking pin 24 is in a position to be engaged by therod. Since-the minimum speed of the gas engine is higlnrelative to thespeed necessary for starting, the centrifugal switch may be adjusted tobreak the circuit below the minimum speed of the engine and above thestarting speed, thus insuring that the pinion will be disconnected fromthe flywheel before the engine reaches its running sp'eed and that themeshing of the gears cannot take place when the engine is operatingunder its own power.

.lt will be understood that such `changes and modifications may be madeas will fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a starting device, the combination with an engine shaft, astarting motor and gear mechanism for ol eratively connecting said motorto said sha t, of means for operatively connecting said gear mechanismcone.- prising two relatively movable members, and a centrifugalspeed-controlied device for controlling the operative ionnection of saidmembers.

2. ln combination, a starting motor, a pin ion o eratively connected tosaid motor and mova le relatively thereto, means for moving said pinioncomprising two members, movable longitudinaily one within the other andresponsive means for connecting said members.

3. in combination, a starting motor a pin iy conliti lnectedftesaidmotor, means forimovng 'said "pinion comprising a hollow shaft, rodi?shaft rotates at speed.

, In a starting mechanism, the combina`-v tion with an engine shaft, astarting' motor,"

and a pinion operatively connected thereto, of a movable member, amember connected l to said pinion and a speed-responsive centrifugalmeans rendering the last named member cngageable by said movable memberonly when said engine shaft rotates at less than a predetermined speed.

6. Ina starting device, the combination `with an engine shaft, astarting motor, and

gear mechanism for connecting said motor to said engine shaft, of meansfor meshing said gears comprising two relativelym'ovable members adaptedto be operatively con' nected, and meansv comprisinga centrifugal devicefor preventing the connection of said members when said engine shaftrotates above a predetermined speed.

7. The combination with an engine, of a starting motor, a pinionyoperatively connected to said motor and mo'vable relative thereto, ofmeans for movin said pinion comprising two members Inova le,.o ne withinthe other. and adapted to be connected, and means whereby thelconnection of said members is prevented-when the` engine operates underits own power.

8. In a startmg mechanism, the combina-V tion with an engine shaft, astartin motor and gear mechanism for operative y connecting the saidmotor to vsaid shaft, of means for connecting said gear mechanismcomprising two members slidable longitudinally one within the other andadapted to be operatively connected, ,and means for disconnecting saidmembers when said engine operates under its own power.

9. In a starting device,- the combination with an engine shaft, astarting motor, and gear mechanism for connecting said motor to saidshaft, of means for effecting the meshing of a pair of coacting gearwheels of said mechanism, said means comprising two relatively movablemembers, a movable element for connecting said members, and

recaer? `adapted to denergize members,

operatively means comprising a centrifugal device for ,e fdisconncctingsaid members at a predelido 'in Said hollow.'shaft, iilljdv gfelectrorresponsive means for connecting termined speed of said engineshaft.

10.v The combination with an engine and f. Y 5 y gitsshaft, of astarting motor and its shaft, 4. Ina starting mechanism, thefcombinaiytion with an engine shaft, a startinglmotor' anda pinion adapted tooperatively coimeet*` said motor .to said' engine shaft, of a member-:ymovable at alltimes, means for'connecting2- said member to said pinionand centrifugal speed-responsive. means 'rendering saidv con- I nectingmeans operative only when said less than a predetermined relativelymovable gears between said shafts,

operatively connecting said members, and centrifugal f'speed-controlledmeans forv controlling the Ioperation of said connecting means.

e `1 1. TheV combination withI a starting f motor, of a pinionoperatively connected to v said motorl and movable relatively thereto,

means for moving hollow member,

said Pinion comprising a a member withm said hollow member, one of'saldmembers being connectedto 'said pinion, and means adapted to operativelyconnect said members, and means for moving said members relatively toeach other.

12. In a starting mechanism, the combinationwith an engine shaft, astarting motor,

motor toI said shaft, of means for connecting movable members, a lockingpin for connecting said members, an electro-magnet for controlling saidpin, and a centrifugal switch said electro-magnet at apredeterminedspeed of said engine shaft.

13. The [combination with a starting motor, of a pinion, two relativelyslidable one of said members beinghollow and connected to said pinion,means for i operatively connecting said members, and means for movmgsaid members relatively. toreach other.

14. The combination i with a starting motor, of a pinion operativelyconnected to said motor and movable relatively thereto, and means formoving said pinion comprisi ing a manually operable lever and anelectromagnet having-'a core controlling the movementof saidlever.

15. The combination with an en -ne and its shaft, of-a starting motorand its shaft, gear mechanism for operatively connecting said shafts andmeans for operating the gear mechanism comprising afoot pedal, a memberconnected to the foot pedal, and an electromagnethaving a core adaptedto project into the path of said member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th day ofFebruary, 1913.

FREDERICK H.. MILLER..l

Witnesses:

LmLA E. CUNNINGHAM, B. B. I-IINES.

and gear mechanism for connecting the said Y

